Conversations in the dark
by curse-of-the-cat
Summary: Galloway is awake late at night and Sideswipe can't sleep. A chance conversation might have just changed Galloway's mind about how he sees the Autobots. Movie-verse with G1 influence oneshot.


_**AN – This popped in my head at two in the morning. Hopefully it makes sense, and you enjoy it. **_

_**/-/**_

Galloway walked out into the rec room, and looked around. The room looked deserted, but movement on the couch caught his eye. One of the Autobots was awake. Since he'd arrived, the Autobots had invested in human holograms, which made blending in much easier as well as gave the humans that worked with them, the soldiers aside, a sense of relief as now they didn't have to worry about being stepped on.

Lights flashed as cars passed the building, and Galloway saw the eyes flick towards him, then back to the window.

"Did you know that if you watch the headlights long enough, it looks like the building is moving?"

Galloway recognized the voice. It was Sideswipe, and he sounded oddly subdued. "What are you doing up?"

Sideswipe shrugged. "My brother is in Ratchet's medbay. We got pretty tore up earlier, and Ratchet just now got him stabilized. He's been critical all day." Sideswipe's eyes flicked to Galloway again. "What are you doing up? As far as I know, you humans need all the sleep you can get during the night."

"I was restless."

"Huh. That makes two of us." Sides murmured.

Galloway watched Sideswipe for a moment before sitting down. "Can I ask a question?"

"Go ahead."

"I know Prime's function is a leader, Ratchet's is a medic, Ironhide is the weapon's specialist, and so on, but I'm not so certain about your function on the team." Galloway said. "I'm curious, and no one's bothered to tell me."

Sideswipe glanced at him before focusing his attention back outside. "Sunny and I are the frontline warriors. First on the battlefield, last to leave, and even then, we're usually carried out because we're too hurt to walk."

Sideswipe's voice was flat, almost emotionless. "But that doesn't bother us, you know? We play a specific part, and we're built to take almost as much punishment as Prime is." Now Sideswipe sat up and stared at Galloway. "And you're never this understanding. What gives?"

Galloway shrugged. "I was wondering why you refuse to share your weapons with us. I know Prime's reason, but I want to hear why you side with him on that."

Sideswipe gave a dry humorless laugh. "Because he's right. We won't see another war started."

"But think about it! With your weapons technology, no one would dare touch us! We wouldn't have to fear the other countries!"

"But would the other countries have to fear you?"

"What?"

"Would the other countries have to worry about what you would do to them at the first conceived slight?"

"Are you insinuating that we would attack other countries unprovoked?"

"I'm not insinuating anything. I'm asking outright, because I know better than to take your word for it. We won't be the cause of another one of your wars. We see enough of it with our own."

Galloway was silent for a beat. "How long have you been fighting in your war, Sideswipe?"

"I don't remember, it's been that long." Sideswipe opened his mouth to say more, but was distracted by two silhouettes in the doorway. He jumped to his feet and ran across the room. "Sunny!"

Ratchet gave Sideswipe a tired smile. "Your brother is fine, as you can tell. He demanded that I help him down here so you'd get out of your funk."

Sides slid his arm around his twin's waist and took most of Sunstreaker's weight off Ratchet. "Thanks, Ratchet. Seriously."

Ratchet glanced at Galloway before laying a hand on Sideswipe's shoulder. "Hey – don't worry about it. You're important to us." He said, before turning and walking off, whistling to himself.

Sides gave Sunny a grin. "I take that to mean you guys heard our conversation?"

"Most of it, yeah." Sunny gave Sides a wry smile. "I didn't know you got philosophical when I'm hurt."

"I didn't either. But then again, I didn't expect the company." Sides shot Galloway a grin.

Galloway stood. "Thank you for the conversation." He said, then excused himself with a nod to Sunstreaker.

Sideswipe watched him go, then shrugged.


End file.
